The War of Leafbare
Prologue And war had begun. If they had been Twolegs, it would have been like fighting in the mud ridden trenches of WWI. But they were not, and so all they knew was the pain and the mud and the fear. A mother, fearful for her kits would watch in constant worry as the war raged around them. She would give her life for her kits, anything to protect them. A sorrwful leader, unwilling and bitter, leading his cats into a battle he did not want to fight. He would meet an unwanted enemy, and he would need all his courage. A she-cat, her loyalties breaking her heart as the war went on. She would be pained forever if the one she loved died, and she would not even see him if he did. A dark leader, cunning but stupid, eager for the blood of his enemies to be spilt. He would fight with overconfidence to find his world would die around him by his own doing. A tired leader, putting on a false face for the Clan she loved dearly. She would fight for more than her life, she would fight for freedom: hers and her Clan's. And through it all, the great leaders would need strength, and the warriors would need courage. And finally, when it was all over, a tom would crack and a cat would live in the cold forever... Chapter 1 Dusk's fur was streaked with mud and splattered with splotches of blood. Blood of my enemies. Dusk had been waiting for war. He was bitter at the rogues for tricking him once, and bitter at Deathstar for tricking him again. So far he had led his Clan against the rogues, and they came back from the battle, defeat hanging in the air. Dusk had been betrayed. His mate had left him. Lithium. He loved Lithium, and now she had his kits. And now she left him for the rogues. Now he realised she did not love him, and his visions of forever were severed. And now he would have to fight her. He was broken. He thought of her often, he wondered if her kits were growing strong like their mother, clever and beautiful, brave and wonderful. He then thought of broken Dawnstar, how he had ruined her life, her Clan, her family. He was a destroyer, and had no emotion. He would be Dusk, Duskstar, cold hearted, pityless, unsympathetic. His mate would stand at his side, and his kits would be warriors, fine warriors. "Dusk, are you ready to go?" Shadowswirl, the deputy of DuskClan now, and before. "Remember, we're going to go and ambush the rogues." Dusk's teeth glinted in the fading light. "You are the finest deputy, Shadowswirl, the best. And now, some rogue blood must be spilt. Death to enemies!" The Clan echoed the chant, but Dusk could not help but think But not to Lithium, she must be saved. Dusk led the march into the territory of the rogues. As DuskClan, their pelts wer mostly dark; why they attacked at dusk and not day. The whiter cats rolled in the filthy mud to camoflage themselves. They marched on. Into hell. A cry came from the murky shadows and thorny bushes ahead. Dusk waved his tail to signify halting, and then charging. And they charged, like a raging bull, a bolt of lightning hitting the rogues in the heart of their camp. Claws flew and teeth snapped. Dusk was fighting Lightning himself, though the rogues leader didn't seem bloothirsty like the others. Dusk ripped the fur off the lightly coloured cat's shoulder, and the rolled over, watching the reluctant leader stumble over. Dusk slashed at Lightning's belly, but the creamy cat nimbly leaped out the way, and raced off into the dark. A DuskClan cat ran up to Dusk. "Dusk, we need to go! We've lost two cats, the rogues are too strong!" Dusk flicked his tail irritated. "No! We fight until we lose!" I must see Lithium... The cat looked worried, but followed orders. "Yes, Dusk." And Dusk was alone once more. Chapter 2 Ow! Lithium thought irritably. A DuskClan cat chomped into her tail, so she whipped around and clawed him promptly across the face. That'll leave a scar. Good. The young tom sauntered away to find a cat that would give him a fight, perhaps, or to the medicine cat. Lithium really didn't care. She slunk off into the shadows, and observed the raging battle. She did not really want to fight, and yet she had to, so she did. Lightning, she admitted only to herself, was not the most motivational leader ever. Now she thought about it more, she actually thought he wasn't a very good leader at all: he clearly did not want to lead the rogues. And yet he was bound to the title by his blood, as she was fated to be not truly listened to, not truly loved, always slightly invisible. It was at these times she thought of her family. It all seemed so long ago, her mother's depression, her tiny sister's cold body... Lithium did not like to linger over these thoughts for long. But she did still remember her brother with bitterness; he was the whole reason she joined the rogues. To escape her family; her depressed mother, her non-existant father and her perfect brother. Why would they have ever listened to her, if they could have him instead? Shaking away the troublesome thoughts, Lithium's gaze wandered over to where Lightning and Dusk battled. Lightning was, as she suspected, putting his heart into fighting for his rogues, he was only just fending the large, black cat off. Even the cat who loves me most, and I him, does not even truly listen to me. And it was true; perhaps if he had heard what she had said, the war would not have happened. Or maybe it would. She sighed, and watched as Dusk tried to slit the pale cat's belly. Lightning jumped away, and headed towards where she was hidden. Lithium, however, was fixed upon Dusk's sadness; he was sat alone, as if waiting. She wanted to go to him, and comfort him. "Lithium!" She jumped, and nearly cried out with surprise. It was Lightning; she had been discovered. "Why are you here? Never mind, it does not matter. But you are one of our best, get back out there! We fight for our lives, nothing else. Now go!" He slunk off, and reluctantly, Lithium raced back into the thick of battle and blood, the image of lonely Dusk in the back of her mind. Chapter 3 Waiting. Dawnstar was waiting. Waiting for battle. Her Clan was weak, and scared after all they had gone through. She and Firesky had set up special training programs to try and prevent another mass wipeout. Her mate had told her that they were going well, but she was paranoid, and doubtful. She knew for sure that she was not up to fightning, unless to protect her two kits, Sparkkit and Aurorakit. Then that gave her an idea. "My Clanmates, gather here for a Clan meeting!" As the Clan assembled in the clearing, Dawnstar clambered up onto the Speaking Stone. "We all know that battle looms. And we all know that the opponents are strong. But we can be strong. I have seen many of you, unenthusiastically participate in the training sessions. And this needs to stop. We are fighting for our lives, our Clan, our freedom now. "This is more important than any territory. This is for the sake of your Clan, your friends, your kits. We must all fight as we would fight if we were protecting our kits or kin. That is our Clan, we are alike family. And we must join together, and fight like it. "We will not lose, DawnClan! Never again shall we lose, not today, not ever! Now go, and learn from what those wiser than you teach, and remember that this is no small battle. To victory!" The Clan repeated her chant, as she padded triumphantly back to her den, where her kits were cautiously poking their noses out. "My kits, I thought I told you to stay in the den." The two small kits ran squeaking back into the den, blaming each other and playfighting. Dawnstar both smiled thinly and sighed at the same time. "I'm just worried about you. You are not to leave the den, especially during a battle. Do you understand?" The kits nodded solemnly. Aurorakit shivered, and Dawnstar sat next to her kits, wrapping her tail around their little, fragile bodies. They curled up against their mother, settling in her warm fur. But she could not sleep. Her dreams would be haunted by the past year's events, the bloodshed, the agony of losing her Clan, her kit, everything she knew. Her kits were just over six moons, but she was not going to let them risk their lives. Not yet. Far in the distance, Dawnstar could see tiny, raging shapes leap and roll and slash. She knew it was not that far away, but she wanted it to be. She wanted it all to go away, and leave her and her Clan alone. Sparkkit mewed out in his sleep, and Dawnstar bent down to lick his head as screams and yowls echoed through the rapidly falling night. The small tom rolled over, and shuffled back into a peaceful sleep whilst his mother watched. And waited. All night, thinking about the terrible losses that were going on. A single tear fell to the dusty ground. Chapter 4 Jordan heard the cries of the dying and injured too. Her family were camped not far from where DawnClan were, and Jordan could imagine the brave DawnClan leader watching all the bloodshed bitterly. Jordan was watching too, from a secluded vantage point she had discovered. She overlooked the battle, wondering where Lightning was, if he was okay. For all she knew, he could be lying in a pool of his own blood, or worse, dying while lying in a pool of his own blood. Her thoughts were pierced by her mother calling her name. She scrambled from her place, and ran to her mother. "Jordan! Where have you been? Your father is making plans for the victory of the forest. Isn't that great; we're not going to lose again!" Jordan nodded slightly, not thinking it'd be at all great if they won, knowing that her father would consider a 'victory' as every leader dead. She would not let that happen. Kayle was already there by here father's side; sitting perfectly. Too perfect. Jordan hated her sister, she always did everything right. "Finally, Jordan. Your sister and I have been waiting. Now, listen to the plan..." Jordan listened distractedly. He went on and on and on, but she got the outline of his plan. He expected that after the day's battle between DuskClan and the rogue that both forces would be weak. They would attack DuskClan after sunrise, and then the rogues after sunhigh. They would aim for the leader both times, and dispatch them, hence why they were going for DuskClan first; Dusk had more lives than Lightning. They would then round up the cats, they would be easy to deal with. The following day, they would attack DawnClan, who would probably give up without a fight. They would kill Dawnstar to show that they ruled, and then the forest would be thiers. Jordan thought that the plan was too artifical, too scheduled. Then again, all of Gingerstar's plans had worked before that. But four against a whole clan? Twice? Jordan highly doubted that this would happen. A screech came from the battle, and Deathstar smiled crookedly. So far his plan was seeming to happen. He leant down to Jordan's ear, and whispered "We will win, and you will follow me, whether you like it or not. And that is not an option. You will be a great forest warrior, only if you stick with me. That fool in the rogues won't help you now, sweetheart." She flinched, and he laughed sourly. Lightning would do anything for me, wouldn't he? Somehow, now she was not so sure. Chapter 5 Dusk heard the battle going on around him. Then through the battle, he heard Shadowswirl, and another of his Clan - he forgot the name - talking. About him. About how he was sitting there, and letting the rogues beat them. About how he was not fit to lead. About how he was mad. He was about to go and shout at them when three rogues jumped at them. The two DuskClan cats were surprised, outnumbered and losing. Dusk watched for a moment, then decided to go help. His deputy was a good cat, and good cats should not be in a cold, bitter war like this.War was for cats like him. Cold hearted, unloved, cruel, bitter cats. But he wasn't anymore, not really. His heart was melting for a lovely she-cat he could never have. He leaped to his paws, and ran to help his deputy and Clanmate. Clouded by his anger at the rogues, and at the distrust of his Clan, Dusk leaped at a cat who was attacking Shadowswirl. His claws buried themselves deep in her throat, and he felt satisfaction at having saved his deputy. Then his satisfaction turned into deep, sinking realisation. His stomach turned, and his eyes and mind burned. The she-cat lay on the floor, blood spilling out of her neck, staining her tortoiseshell fur. No! No! Dusk lay down next to the dying she-cat, and a tear fell from his eye. "Lithium, I'm sorry. Don't go, don't leave me! Please, my love…" The tom's icy heart was finally melting as he saw the one cat he had ever truly loved dying on the floor, by his own claws. And it hurt. It hurt so much. "Dusk… I-I don’t mind… I was… never…important enough. Not for any…one…" She struggled to speak as blood started flowing from her mouth. "No! You won't die, I swear. I won't let you, not now. You are the only thing I have ever loved, and now I'm losing you too. You were the most important thing in the world to me. Please, my love, please…" "No… My darling…Not really." Her breaths were shaky now, and tears were slowly dripping through her fur. She closed her eyes, and spoke once more. "You'll see, m-my love… You'll listen… now. But it's… fine. I can, I-I can see… her… I see her coming for me. And she has… come to… t-take me away. And I am… n-not scared. Not now that you are here, with me." Tears fell freely now, from both cats; the dark, heartless tom who had finally found his heart to be breaking, and the lovely, sad she-cat who finally thought she may be listened to. In death. "Oh, StarClan, Lithium, you have saved me. But I can not bear it; StarClan please. I can't let you die, not without knowing you are loved. I love you, Lithium, and I swear that our kits shall be looked after. I can't let you go, not now." Sobs shook his body, and Lithium gasped her last words. "I'm sorry, my love…" She laid down her head, and whispered about a she-cat who had come for her. She smiled, briefly, and then she sighed, departing the living for the last time. Dusk sobbed; he broke down and wept over his love's body, broken, empty. He carried her back, and laid her down. He was broken, so very broken as he sat, watching rain fall after a battle lost. The tom who understood every kind of war, apart from the cruellest - love. And now he was finally defeated. Chapter 6 Lightning thought of Jordan, again. He thought of how Dusk had seen Lithium's broken, bleeding, breathless body, how he had broken down over it, again. He could only see Jordan in her place, him mourning over his lost love's death. Was there StarClan for those who did not believe? Or only life, and then death would be an endless sleep? A yowl broke his shattered thoughts. He tried to collect them together before his second in command, Raven, raced into his den. She was lean and muscular, scars lining her thin, bony face. Her fiery amber eyes always seemed angry, sharp, bitter. She was partly blind in one eye, a scar distorting it. The collar she wore was black, alike her pelt; the two teeth hanging from it an underestimeate of her strength. She bounded in with authority; Lightning could only hope that she would soon lead the rogues instead of him. "Lightning! The GingerClan are attacking! They seem to have DuskClan with them too! Are you coming?" She seemed to be itching to go and fight, so Lightning quickly devised a plan. He spoke quickly. "GingerClan are cunning, they will have attacked DuskClan first. Dusk has many lives, so that will likely be why; I would not expect him to be coming. If he is, do not send the best; he is still grieving, and probably gave in to the rogues. Gingerstar will likely target me, it is easiest to take over cats without a leader. I shall need backup, and if I should die, you must take over immidiately. Now go! I shall be right behind." Raven nodded, fire in her eyes as she ran into the heat of battle, blazing. The sunhigh sun was obstructed by dark clouds, angry, heavy clouds, about to burst with rain and fire, like the battle beneath. Each cat would lookd up to the clouds and think of the dark that had frozen the forest, making each cat's darker side reveal; all light covered by the cold, bitter war. And one cat, alone and broken, started to doubt whether they were fighting each other or themselves. Chapter 7 Dawnstar looked up at the clouds, watching the lightning fall, illuminating everything so darkly. She knew it was time. Her friend and mate stood in the shadows of her den, the light from the lightning falling softly on his fur. "It is time my love. I am sorry, but I cannot watch this. We must help the rogues. GingerClan and DuskClan have allied, Morningpaw tells me. We must go." She looked sadly at him, and he dipped his head. She tiredy stepped onto the highrock, and called her Clan together. "My Clan, it is time for war. We must go, and we shall ally with the rogues," Murmers of disrest came from the crowd, but Dawnstar pushed on. "Would you rather join with DuskCan and GingerClan? We cannot win by ouselves; I loathe the idea of war, but we must fight if to keep our freedom. If you d not like it, you may leave and join them, but I want never to see your face in my Clan again. Any cat who leaves is a coward and traitor, not a DawnClan cat." She was glad to see her warriors understand the choice she had made. "One more thing, before we go. Morningpaw, in the name of StarClan I wish to make you a warrior. We do not have time for a proper ceremony, but you shall be known as Morningfall from now on. You are a brave cat, and StarClan bless you. Fight well, my warriors; StarClan be with you!" With a mighty roar, the Clan raced from their camp, Dawnstar in the lead followed by Firesky and Morningfall. Dawnstar made her way to where Lightning was, avoiding the battle. She saw Firesky fight with a big DuskClan tom. Her heart ached, think of him, and their kits, safe back in camp. "Lightning," she called out softly. He was sat in his den. "Dawnstar, I hear you help us. Why? The rogues mistreated you, why would you join with us?" She closed her eyes, and spoke. "Past mistakes can be forgiven. Futures will be changed, and we fight ourselves as much as each other. Without your help, my Clan will die. I can not let my Clan die without knowing I tried. My mate is out there, my kits are out there, young warriors are out there that may never see old age. We fight to survive, we only ask that you help. Help us." Lightning agreed wholeheartedly, and ran out to fight, courage renewed. Dawnstar was about to follow, but was thrown back by Shell. They fought bitterly, Dawnstar aiming to live, Shell aiming to kill. Dawnstar felt the claws of the other she cat rip down her face, and dig into her throat. Eye burning, lungs failing, Dawnstar collapsed in the mud, breathing heavily. Shell bared her teeth, victory all over her face, when a shape flung her to the side. Then Dawnstar went blank. Shapes blurred in her vision. Everything was white. And there was a kit. Willowkit! Dawnstar called out to her kit, then realised that she could only see her kit out of one eye. "Mother," Willowkit said with the wisdom of StarClan. "You have lost a life. We healed you, but your eye was beyond repair. You will be half blind; I am so sorry. You will have to be brave now..." The words got quieter, and Dawnstar fell, and fell, and fell... Blinking, disorientated, light flooded Dawnstar's right eye. She turned her head and cried out in horror. Firesky lay bleeding next to her. He opened his mouth, a trickle of blood flowing from it. "Shell's dead... I watched you, as StarClan breathed life... back into you. They won't... for me..." Dawnstar wept with her one eye, it was cruel that her mate must be stolen away from her. "Kill Gingerstar... for... me. I will watch you... always... my love..." "No, my love! StarClan no, don't leave me!" He looked up at her, and whispered I'm sorry before his eyes rolled back, and he lay motionless on the floor. "No! How will I go on without you? Please, please come back..." She rocked back and forth, tears streaming from her eyes, grieving over her beloved mate. The shadow that had been watching from the darkness, cold and wet, hung his head, knowing how Dawnstar felt. He was broken. But now he knew his revenge. Chapter 8 Dusk looked to the sky as night fell, and the darkness in every cat rose. They were all fighting bitterly, wet, and angry. Dusk had seen his beloved mate die, and watched as Dawnstar had grieved over hers. And now he knew what would stop this seemigly endless, bitter war. With a mighty yowl, he leaped back into the battle, his fur damp, and shining because of the lightning. He yowled again, slashing and ripping and batting and biting and slicing, his warriors behind him. And then he flicked his tail, signalling to his warriors. They marched behind him, every one, leaving DawnClan and the Rogues. And then they understood. Dawnstar and Lightning pushed their way to the front, standing on either side of Dusk. He looked to both of them, and then straight ahead to GingerClan. Gingerstar had dark fire in his eyes, the cold burning of fury. "This forest is ours, Gingerstar! Whoever has the numbers has the power! And it looks like I have the numbers! If you have any ideas that you will take the forest, tonight, then just think of all the black days we will give you if you do not run! So do the smart thing: let some other cat try first." Gingerstar looked shocked, exaggerating his expression, even taking a step back before striding forwads into Dusk's face. "We are unbeaten. Look at the cats you have lost, so many have died. And now you think, Dusk, the leader who is unfit to lead, the cat that got fooled not once, but twice into handing over he power fo the forest, you think that your words can win this war? Words winning wars? Your words? We stay unbeaten by claws, and that is how it shall stay forever. GingerClan the unbeaten!" The two toms sneered at each other, before Dusk quietly whispered "Well, go beaten now.Words were never going to be enough for you..." Gingerstar's eyes went wide as he realised that Dusk had slit his throat. Collapsing, Gingerstar struggled breathe, blood flowing from his neck. He screeched his last words in a pained whisper. "Never forget, Dusk; you did this! I name you, forever, you are the destroyer of the forest!" The cats just stared at Gingerstar, now lying lifeless on the ground. Then they looked to the tyrant's daughters. Some cats asked what to do with them, some shouted to drive them out, some said they should join the Clans. Kayle, frightened, ran away into the forest, while Jordan stayed, knowing what she had to do. But first Dusk said "Lighting. Now, what are you and the rogues going to do? You are no longer welcome here." Lightning dipped his head. "I abdicate my position as the leader of the Rogues. Raven, they're yours. I want nothing more to do with them." he spoke softly, almost sadly, and went to Jordan, only just noticing Lithium's kits hiding behing her. "I will take the rogues far away from here, Dusk. I will never come back. This forest is cursed with unnecessary bloodshed! We will leave now. Onwards!" The two remaining Clans looked as the Rogues marched off, leaving the forest behind. "Duskstar," Dawnstar murmered as the separate Clans headed back to their camps. He looked at her, sadness in his eyes. "No more fighting. The battle for control must stop now, it has worn on too long, and now what has happened? Our teritorries are enough, greed must not overcome us. Farewell, Duskstar." She turned around, and started to walk away as she heard Dusk whisper "I'm sorry, Dawnstar." She continued, but dipped her head, showing her forgiveness. As Dusk disappeared, Dawnstar beckoned Lightning and Jordan to her. Dusk watched as she invited the two young cats to join her Clan. So brave... And Dusk was so tired. The battle had dragged on long enough, she was right. It was time to start again Epilogue Never again was a war such as the War of Leafbare witnessed in that forest, not even after moons. Battles rarely occured. The generations far beyond Dusk and Dawnstar were raised on the tales of the War, and how bloodshed like that is unecessary. The story tells of what happened, and what happened to each of the main characters after. Don't you want to know? Legend has it that the War of Leafbare was the worst battle, the worst year ever to be witnessed in the forest. It is not a myth. The stories are all true, from Lithium and Firesky's gory deaths, to Lightning's reluctance to kill. But what is most important is what happened after. This is where we can really be taught of the horrors and wrongness of war and bloodshed, and the true reasons behind why there are so few battles today. Raven took the rogues far away, over mountains and through fields. Rumours have it they met other Clans of cats, and failed to win them over. The rogues trained hard, but were beaten at every fight. In a fit of depression and rage, Raven ended her own life, feeling as if she had failed her leadership. The rest of the cats disbandened after that, shaken by their leader's death, and still not really recovered from the War. Lightning and Jordan lived the rest of their days happily in DawnClan, becoming Lightningtail and Gingerblaze and bringing up Lithium's kits as their own, as well as having two litters themselves. Every kit in their care was taught of the moral wrongness of war, and later told the tales of the great war. They all accepted that the War was wrong, and over time saw how wrong, and learnt that the mistakes must never be made again. They still have not. Dusk never really recovered after the War. Lithium's death shook him horribly, letting emotions that had never been seen before out, turning him from a cruel, bitter tom to a lonely, broken-hearted one. He really had loved her, and his mind became twisted after the return to normal. He would sit in his den, and Shadowstorm would take leadership of the Clan for many days, weeks at a time. The cats of DuskClan knew that Dusk was not their leader in his mind anymore. So it did not really surprise them when they found his body in a gorge, battered to pieces. He had spent the rest of his lives ending it. But perhaps the saddest end was Dawnstar. She had witnessed the loss of everything she held dear, her kit, her Clan, her mate. Her mind was never quite as strong or brave after the War. She would hiss at any cats who came near her kits even if slightly hostile, and would sit out at nights, talking to herself. They say that she was seeing a ghost of Firesky, in her mind. During the end of her leadership she became old, not just old but frail. Though she outlived Dusk by many seasons, her last life was taken as her mind simply ceased to function, as her experiences caught up with her, and as she finally knew she was going to be with her mate for eternity. War was the downfall of the forest, but the enlightenment too. Though many perished physically and mentally, a bitter lesson was learnt. The peace of the forest lasts today, and will last forever, kits raised on the legends of Dusk and Dawnstar forever. ~END~ Category:Fanfiction Category:Leopardclaw's Fan Fictions